> A couple of Lowland and Borders reivers have joined in a conspiracy to
> hijack part of the Highlands from "the inward parts of Scotland" and
> gerrymander said desirable lands into the Lowlands and Borders
> regions.<grin>
Again John demonstrates hi lack of understanding.
The original topic was about the state of literacy or otherwise of
someone from Co Antrim, and whether they might have spoken/written
Gaelic.
Within the context of the question, the reply was perfectly
reasonable. Antrim did not experience the plantation in 1611, and was
privately settled. Antrim is also - as Linda pointed out in a recent
mailing very different in parts. North Antrim (including the glens)
is really an adjunct to gaelic - Highland Scotland. East Antrim looks
to Galloway, South Antrim is beginning to look to England through the
Armagh plantation. The area which we were discussing was mid Antrim.
This was a private settlement, mainly through the Scottish Adairs.
There was however English influence with the Chichesters.
Where the area of discussing is is specifically the settlement of
Cullybackey. This has for example a RP church, and yet at the same
time the different speech patterns from the Braid - which one could
expect might well have been covenanting - vide Peaden's visits to the
area.
John does however raise a number of questions which might repay
reflection. The reason for the plantation was to displace the native
Irish, and replace the local leadership.
This was done by settling people and their followers on the
confiscated lands.
It is unlikely that many of those settled would have been Gaelic
speaking. James was no fonder of the Scottish Gaelic culture than he
was of the Irish one - remember the two cultures were lumped together
as Erse. He has taken steps with the Statutes of Iona 1609 to reduce
the power of the Celtic Culture. Thus it is that it would have been
unlikely that Gaelic speakers would have been settled in any numbers.
( I vaguely remember that there was a prohibition but I am working from
memory and cannot confirm)
I must also comment on the extraordinary statement
> Highland Clans McPherson, MacGregor, Colquhoun held territory in
>Dumbarton. Clan Buchanan in the Lennox was subservient to the Duke
>of Lennox. By not recognizing these Highland areas they have
>conviently slipped all the territory in a line east of Loch Lomond
>south and inserted the territory into the Lowland envelope.
A quick look at any map will demonstrate that no one would take the
area to the East of Loch Lomond as being anything but highland. There
is, even today no motor road up the east side of the Loch.
Dumbartonshire and the South West side of Loch Lomond is however
basically Lowland.
The level of his knowledge of the geography in the answer which he
wrote is shown by his placement of Donegal across the river from
Donegal. When I lived in Derry it was on the West Bank of the Foyle.
When we are getting into the kind of Micro-history which he is
producing it is quite important to get the geography right.
Actually I don't recollect my ever writing anything on the question
of Derry on this list at least not recently.
Edward Andrews
St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church Dalkeith, Midlothian Scotland
Visit our Web site http://www.btinternet.com/~stnicholas.buccleuch/index.htm
(Now in Frames with pictures, please revisit)